Location and name
Steinmauer, also known as Waltershofen stone wall or Freiburg stone wall, is a vineyard designation near Freiburg-Waltershofen on the Tuniberg in the wine-growing region Baden. The designation is associated with the city of Freiburg im Breisgau.
Landscape and climate
The Tuniberg is a ridge that rises to about 120 metres above the Rhine plain over a length of roughly ten kilometres. Its vineyard sites include terraced elevations and steeper border areas. The area is shaped by Mediterranean and maritime-Atlantic influences and is one of the warm and sunny regions of Germany. The vineyard soils are predominantly covered with loess and re-deposited loess.
Stone walls in the vineyard
The name goes back to stone walls built in the 18th century, which served to reduce erosion on parts of the Tuniberg. The historic walls were built without mortar as dry-stone walls from the yellow limestone typical of the Tuniberg. They supported slopes and terraces and provided, among other things, a habitat for reptiles, wild bees, spiders and other insects. Due to land consolidation measures from the 1960s onwards, many walls were removed or lost their function.
Grape varieties and wine styles
Under this designation, wines made from Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Spätburgunder and Sauvignon Blanc are documented. Other proven grape varieties are Müller-Thurgau, Chardonnay, Muskateller, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Souvignier Gris. The range includes dry quality wines and Kabinett wines, as well as a delicately off-dry rosé Spätburgunder. A documented vintage 2020 of the Freiburger Steinmauer Grauburgunder Kabinett trocken has 13.0 per cent alcohol, 5.8 grams of residual sugar per litre and 5.9 grams of acidity per litre. Cabernet Sauvignon from the Freiburger Steinmauer sites planted in 1997 is aged on average for 22 months in Allier oak barrels.
